Antulay's story is not the first dramatic exposure in the Indian Express: R.N. Goenka

Antulay's story is not the first dramatic exposure in the Indian Express: R.N. Goenka

Ram Nath Goenka, proprietor of the Indian Express group, remains the last of the great newspaper barons capable of taking courage in both hands to challenge a government.

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October 30, 2013

ISSUE DATE: October 15, 1981

UPDATED: October 27, 2014 18:25 IST

R.N. Goenka: Unmindful of the consequences

Ram Nath Goenka, proprietor of the Indian Express group, insists that the Antulay expose could have been published without his backing and support; but Arun Shourie, his "race horse" editor who broke the story doesn't agree. Nevertheless at 79, Goenka remains the last of the great newspaper barons capable of taking courage in both hands to challenge a government. He once said of himself: "Every other newspaper in India was built by someone's grandfather or great-grand father... There is no man in this country except I who started and built a newspaper empire."

While his newspaper empire has never stopped growing, Goenka is himself involved in various long-standing legal tussles with government departments, including cases against the properties he owns and has built upon. Obviously, there is nothing Goenka loves more than a fight.

Last fortnight, Goenka spoke to India Today about the Antulay story and the free tradition of "Indian Express Culture". Excerpts:

Q. To what extent was the Indian Express exposure of Antulay a collaborative effort between Arun Shourie and yourself?A. Arun and I, together received the initial information in Delhi. Arun then left for Bombay to investigate. He was given full support by his colleagues in Bombay. I arrived in Bombay subsequently on some other work. Arun kept me briefed about the progress of his work.Q. Do you expect any repressive measures from Mrs Gandhi's government against you or your paper as a result of the embarrassment the Antulay exposure has caused her? Are you prepared to deal with such measures?A. Time alone will show what Mrs Gandhi's government intends doing. But I think that there will be no reprisals against the Indian Express because it has only done a public duty in exposing corruption and Mrs Gandhi herself said in Parliament recently that she wanted the highest standards maintained in public life. The Indian Express and I, however, are quite accustomed to facing repressive measures by the Government. The Indian Express as a newspaper has withstood persecution for 50 years and I, as an individual, for over 60 years. I need not recount specific instances.

Q. Do you regard this as the real tradition of the Express?A. The Indian Express was established in 1932 to fill the void created by the closure of Mrs Annie Besant's New India and the closure of Swarajya with which T. Prakasam and C. Rajagopalachari had been associated. From 1932 to 1947 - and these were the years when the culture of the institution was formed and its traditions were set - we were engaged in one battle after another with the British authorities. Even as a nominated member, one day I would vote against the Government on a no-confidence motion. The next I would refuse to publish information derogatory to those participating in the 1942 movement and be blacklisted. The third we would dribble around the guidelines of the British and publish the truth about how the war was going. We paid dearly but then I was, like thousands and thousands, consumed by the independence struggle under Gandhiji.

The only period of respite that we had was during the 17 years of Panditji's prime ministership. Since the 1969 split of the Congress and especially during the Emergency, the Indian Express had suffered grievously for its independent stand. But an independent stand is what I regard as the 'dharma' of a newspaper. Therefore come what may I can tell you here and now that neither the Express nor I will be influenced by fear of any repressive measures by the Government.Q. To what extent do you think the Antulay story in the Indian Express has affected the Indian media? Do you think this is the sort of thing that papers should be doing?A. Antulay's story is not the first dramatic exposure in the Indian Express. We have carried stories inter alia on the condition in jails, depredation of the Dhanbad mafia, the Bhagalpur blindings and sale of women, which we highlighted in the Kamala case. I attach more importance to the Bhagalpur stories than to all these put together.

I personally believe in Nishkarma karma, that is, doing one's duty without any thought to the results. The Indian Express has no doubt earned popular appreciation by exposing Antulay's extraordinary activities. Also people now understand what should be the roles of the press as a crusader for values in public life.

Q. Do you think Shourie's writings in your paper have acquired a special force over the years?A. As far as Arun's writing is concerned, I have been trying for the last two-and-a-half years to rein in this race horse. He is a hard worker, has a strong sense of duty and is committed to the national interest. But when he is pursuing something he throws all caution to the winds. I often tell him that he should learn from Mulgaokar, who can inflict devastating internal injuries without leaving any external marks. I have yet to succeed, but where Mulgaokar and I have failed for two-and-a half years, time will succeed.

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